Louisiana Tech men’s basketball coach Eric Konkol and Lady Techsters coach Brooke Stoehr cautioned a smattering of Tech fans at the Rotolo’s on East 70th Street Tuesday that their teams might need some time to develop this fall.

Konkol’s club lost the best player in Conference USA last year in Alex Hamilton, now competing in the NBA Developmental League. Konkol said tongue-in-cheek that he recently tried to get Hamilton in a mask so he would get another year from the explosive scorer.

“But we are very excited about this team and the growth they will experience during the season,” Konkol said. “What fans will see is a very strong looking team because they had a great off-season. We want to be able to attack the entire game and we’ve made that a point of emphasis this fall.

Speaking at the Northwest Louisiana Tech Advancement Group gathering, the coaches were peppered with questions after giving opening statements, which included a run-down of some of their top players.

After taking her two youngsters trick-or-treating Monday night, Stoehr said she had to do get vocal with her players at Tuesday’s 6 a.m. practice.

“We’ll have some good moments and some bumps along the way,” Stoehr said. “We will play hard, but we will need to be consistent.”

The first-year coach inherits a team that finished 14-16 last season and endured the embarrassing resignation of former coach Tyler Summitt. Stoehr has one returning player who has been in the program for more than two years and that person has played a limited role during her career.

“I won’t say we’ll win a championship, but we are working hard every day,” Stoehr said. “I ran into (Tech quarterback coach) Tim Rattay while trick-or-treating last night and I told him I hope our team can score as many points as you guys.”

The Techsters open at home Nov. 11 against LSU, while also playing Clemson and Auburn this fall.

Konkol said fans are going to like his freshman class which includes guards Jalen Harris and DaQuan Bracey, who are expected to see significant playing time.

“We’re a little thin at guard. One of our senior guards De’Shawn Robinson has been ill with a knee issue that keeps lingering around all fall,” Konkol said. “Our two freshmen guards are playing beyond their years. There will be some growing pains – there has been already. But they’re talented. If we can get them to grow quickly, they’ll be a big part of our season.”

The Bulldogs recently scrimmaged a “Power Five” team, according to Konkol, who said he was pleased with his team’s performance.

“We played for 60 minutes and we ended up on the good side of the scoreboard,” he said. “You could see the growth. DaQuan had a big smile with braces still on. He couldn’t be more of a puppy. But by the end of the day, he felt he belonged in that game. He did turn it over a couple of times and we were all over him about that.”

Konkol also praised the work of veterans Erik McCree, Qiydar Davis, Jacobi Boykins and Derric Jean. He’ll need them to step up in a fall non-conference slate that takes the Bulldogs coast-to-coast to South Carolina, Nebraska and Cal.

After an exhibition game with Southern Arkansas Thursday in the TAC, the Bulldogs open on the Road Nov. 11 at South Carolina before their home opener Nov. 16 with Alabama State. They’ll also play in Bossier City at the CenturyLink Center Dec. 17 against Grambling.

“We’re excited about where we’ve been. There’s a great standard that’s been set here,” Konkol said. “And we’re excited about where we’re going with the right young men in place.”